Tongits is a three-player Filipino rummy game. You form sets and runs; the round ends when the stock runs out, someone calls Tongit with every card melded, or an opened player calls Draw. The ending decides the winner; card counts use point totals.

What Tongits is

Tongits, also spelled Tong-its or Tong Its, is a knock rummy game from the northern Philippines, played with one 52-card deck without jokers.

Melds and card values

A run is three or more consecutive cards of the same suit, such as 4♣ 5♣ 6♣. A set is three or four cards of the same rank, such as 7♦ 7♥ 7♠. A card can belong to only one combination at a time.

An ace is 1 point, a jack, queen or king is 10 points, and every other card is worth its face value. Aces are low, so A-K-Q of one suit is not a run.

The deal

The first dealer is chosen at random; the previous winner deals after that. The dealer deals counterclockwise, starting with themselves: 13 cards to the dealer and 12 cards to each of the other two players. The rest of the deck becomes the stock.

The dealer may expose melds, then discards one card face up to start the discard pile. The player to the dealer’s right acts next.

A turn: draw, meld, lay off, discard

Each turn has three parts.

  1. Draw. Take the top card of the stock, or take the top discard. You may take the discard only if you can immediately meld it with at least two cards from your hand, and then you must expose that meld.
  2. Meld or lay off. If you drew from the stock, you may expose valid sets or runs; melding is optional. You may lay off any number of cards on any exposed meld, yours or another player’s. Laying off on another player’s meld stops their next Draw call.
  3. Discard. End your turn by discarding one card face up, unless you are calling Tongit with every card in melds.

You are opened only after laying one meld face up; melds kept in hand do not count against you at the end. A set of four completed without the discard may be laid face down, opening the hand unseen.

How the round ends

Stock runs out. The hand ends after the turn of the player who drew the last card. Anyone who never opened loses; opened players count their unmelded points, and the lowest total wins. If the last-card player ties for lowest, they win it; a tie between the other two goes to the player on the last-card player’s right.

Tongit. When every card is melded or laid off, call Tongit during or at the end of your turn; you may discard or keep all your cards.

Draw. An opened player calls Draw at the start of their turn, before drawing. The others fold or challenge. If both fold, the caller wins; if challenged, the lowest total wins, and a challenger wins any tie against the caller. A player who never opened cannot challenge, so an opened caller facing unopened opponents wins automatically. You cannot call Draw if someone laid off on your melds since your last turn, or if you laid off on your own.

Scoring in chips

The winner is paid by each loser:

  • 1 chip for winning.
  • 1 chip for each ace in the winner’s hand or in a meld the winner exposed. Aces laid off onto a meld do not count.
  • 3 chips per secret set of four: a set face down or still concealed in the winner’s hand.
  • 3 chips instead of 1 for winning by Tongit.
  • 3 chips for winning a Draw after a challenge.

A player who never opened is burned, or sunog, and pays an extra 1 chip. Players also add 2 chips to a side pot each deal; winning two games in a row takes the pot. This page uses the 3-chip version; some groups pay 2.

Three common mistakes

  1. Taking the top discard without a meld that uses it. The discard must form a meld with at least two cards from your hand.
  2. Forgetting that laying off on another player’s meld blocks their next Draw call.
  3. Treating A-K-Q as a run, or counting an ace as 11. Aces are low and worth 1.

FAQ

How many cards does each player get?

The dealer takes 13; the other two take 12 each.

Can I take the discard pile at any time?

Only when it forms a set or run with at least two cards from your hand; you must expose that meld.

What happens if nobody has opened when the stock runs out?

Everyone who never opened loses. Opened players count their unmelded points, and the lowest total wins.

What is the difference between Tongit and Draw?

Tongit ends the round when all your cards are melded or laid off. Draw is a call at the start of an opened player’s turn; the others fold or challenge, and points settle a challenge.

If you want another Filipino card game built on poker hand strength, our Pusoy guide explains how 13 cards become three hands.

Sources

Educational content. 18+ only.